The Last Night
by BregoArodShadowfax
Summary: EnjolrasMarius. The night before the final battle, Enjolras ponders his relationship with Marius. It's basically supposed to be sweet and sappy, so don't expect anything too deep!


**New story! Okay, I had a great idea before I went to bed one night, and by the time I wrote the story, I don't think it turned out quite as well as it had originally done in my head. It's my first Les Miserables fanfiction, and I'm sorry if some of the events are different from the novel. I know the musical off by heart, but I've only read the condensed version of the book. It's Enjolras/Marius, because in reading the play there are a number of instances where it's apparent that Enjolras cares for Marius a little more than he would if they were 'just friends.' I know there aren't many of these stories, but I tend to like the two of them as a couple. So, enjoy! And please, feedback is always appreciated. No flames, however…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Les Miserables, the characters, or the songs. All I have are my ideas. **

**The Last Night**

The singing suddenly stopped. I knew what that meant. They had all probably gone to sleep. Not that I blamed them, even though I had explicitly told them that nobody should fall asleep. Getting attacked in the morning when you're not fully awake isn't the most fun experience. Not that I would know, I mean. I'm not a war veteran, or anything. But still, I _had _only given one person permission to rest: Marius. I sighed. And realized that I heard more singing. I stole a quick glance in through the window of the café. It was that man…I never got his name, the one who said he would "take care" of Inspector Javert. I'm probably the only one who noticed he went over there with a knife and ended with a gunshot, which leads me to believe that, for reasons of his own, he didn't kill Javert. Just as well, I suppose. We all have enough blood on our hands already. I listened to some of what the man was singing; the words were hitting a little too close to home for me. How did he know Marius? Why was he praying for him? And why did I care so much? I hadn't been in Paris long, just long enough to find out that a revolution was starting. I had heard about it, of course, at home, but nobody was really serious. I came here to find a whole group of students hell-bent on overthrowing the system and making new lives for themselves. And…well…the rest, as they say, is history.

I remember the first day I came into town. I had gone to school for the day, and was walking home to my new apartment, when a boy, maybe a couple of years younger than me, came up and asked if he could walk with me, as we seemed to be going in the same direction. I didn't know who the boy was, but I agreed.

"By the way, I never got your name," he smiled. It was his smile that first got me. It seemed so easy and natural, like he didn't even have to think about it.

"Enjolras," I muttered, not really sure what the boy was getting at. I didn't come here to make friends. I came here to get an education, and start a business, and make my father proud.

"That's it? No first name?"

"Maybe, but you can just call me 'Enjolras.'"

"Oh."

"What about you? You haven't introduced yourself, yet," I pointed out.

"Pontmercy," he replied with that easy grin. I half-smiled, realizing that this was his way of getting me back, but then I turned and gave him a glare, hoping to goad him into giving me his full name. It worked. "Marius Pontmercy." I loved him from that moment. That infectious smile, the light in his eyes, the way he moved his hands around to emphasize certain points when he talked. The way he asked me if I would consider leading the students if the ailing General Lamarque died. How could I say no, now?

And so, I became their leader. Was it a choice I regretted? Not really. The revolution had not gone as we had hoped, and it remained just us…one small band of students. I had no fanciful hopes or prayers. I knew that by the time the sun set tomorrow, I would be dead. It sounds morbid, but it was the truth. If there was one thing I wanted to do before my soul parted ways with my body, it was to make sure Marius would live. The sad fact was, ever since that first day, I can't put him out of my mind. And now…there's this strange woman, this Cosette, who he seems to be infatuated with. Am I jealous? Yes…a little…maybe. I'm happy for him though, although at the same time I'm a little depressed because I know it can never be me. My heart almost broke tonight, when that girl Eponine got shot, and lay dying, and Marius held her close and told her that it would be alright. How I wished it was me he was holding and not her.

I sighed, turning to go into the café and wake the others up, when I caught sight of Marius, sleeping contentedly. I stared at him, knowing this was the last time we would have together on this earth, and as I prepared to give a speech about how we would likely all die on the morrow, he opened one eye and looked at me. Getting up, he walked over, saying, "There's no need for you to be up. Courfeyrac's on watch, is he not?"

"Perhaps. I just wanted a bit of air. Besides, I told you to rest and you're awake," I countered. We argued a lot, it seemed, but it was all in good humour.

"Enjolras? Can I talk to you?"

"When have I ever refused your company, my friend?"

He smiled. "It'll all be over tomorrow, won't it?"

"The revolution? Yes. I cannot promise that any of us will survive, Marius."

"I know. I don't expect that we will, either."

"Marius…there is no reason for you to stay here and throw your life away. You have a love, now. You should go to her, get married, and live happy lives. There is no glory in death, especially not the death that we now face."

"I know why you're telling me this." That gave me pause. How could he know my true feelings? Sure, I've been a little protective of him, but it's not like I've been doting on him.

"You do?" I walked outside, hoping he'd follow. He did.

"Yes. And I have to tell you, I don't mind that you like me."

"Really?" This was a surprise. People like me weren't looked upon very kindly in this society. I was afraid he'd turn his back on me, and that was the best scenario I'd pictured.

"Then it's true? You _do _like me?" I mentally cursed myself for falling right into that one. The boy is smart…there's no telling what runs through his brain.

"Marius, I don't like you. I love you." I turned away and wandered around the side of the café, stopping to sit on a stone bench. I didn't expect him to follow.

When I looked up, he was standing in front of me. "Do you really want me to leave?"

"Truthfully, I want you to have no part of the battle tomorrow. I know you would never desert us, Marius, but if it looks hopeless, will you promise me to try to get out? Don't waste your life," I was surprised he had said nothing more on the previous matter.

"Enjolras, I promise, if I can get away somehow, I'll try."

"No, you will. I'll take a bullet for you if I have to." I was dead serious.

"I know, my friend. I know. But I wonder if it is all worth it. Cosette is leaving tomorrow; going to England. If I never see her again, what is the point of living?" He sighed and sat down beside me.

"Do you love her?"

"Yes. More than anything."

"Does she love you?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll find each other," I smiled, but he could tell it was strained.

"You know what you said, about taking a bullet for me? I appreciate that more than you'll ever know. Cosette loves me, I'm sure, but if it came right down to it, she wouldn't die for me. You're the only person I've ever known who would do that just to make me happy," he looked at me, that effortless smile coming to his face again.

"What about Eponine?"

"'Ponine?" His eyes darkened. "Eponine wasn't in love with me. She loved me, but she wasn't _in _love with me. She thought that by taking a bullet it would prove her bravery and maybe I would fall for her. I loved her, but I loved her like a sister. You, on the other hand, want nothing from me. You would die just so I could live. I don't deserve a friend like you."

"Yes you do, Marius. You're…" How could I describe him. "You're…oh, I can't say these things to you."

"Maybe it's best if you keep them to yourself," he leaned back against the building. "However, I'm glad we had this talk. It's cleared a lot up for me."

"You know what hurt me the most?" I didn't look at him.

"What?"

"To see you holding Eponine like that, right before she died." My voice was no more than a whisper. "Just to see the hurt on your face, to see how much you cared for the girl."

"Enjolras, if tomorrow's out last day…"

"It will be."

"I can't promise I'll be there if you die…"

"_When _I die."

He sighed. "Let's just get some rest. There's still a few hours until dawn."

"You can go back in, if you want. I don't want to spend my last night stuck in an old building. I want to be outside," I replied, trying to shift into a more comfortable position on the bench.

"That wasn't what I was going to say," he replied, and I saw him looking at me with a strange gleam in his eyes. "I was going to say, that since I can't promise to hold you when you're dying, I suppose I'll just have to do it when you're still alive." With that, he put his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him, so I was leaning against his chest. He wrapped his arms around my body and rested his head on top of mine. I was so shocked, I could barely breathe.

"Marius, I…you really don't have to…"

"Enjolras, don't you think, after all we've been through, even though we've only known each other a short time, that I might have some feelings for you, too? Trust me, my friend. Go to sleep. I'll keep watch, if you want." I nodded, realizing how tired I truly was, and surrendered myself to the comfort of his arms.

I woke up a couple of hours later, completely at peace with the fact that this would be my last day on the earth. However, I didn't want to move. I was warm, and comfortable, and…Marius! He stayed with me the whole time, regardless of how he really felt. How could he say he didn't deserve a friend like me? It was really the other way around, I thought. "What time is it?" I asked.

"Just about dawn. I thought that maybe if this is our last day together, we shouldn't waste it sleeping. Don't you want to watch the sun rise?" He smiled.

He knows me too well. I've always loved sunrises, to see the world waking up and the shadows of night retreating. It made me feel good to be alive. And he was right, too, that I'd rather spend my last hours awake in the company of friends.

"Do you think we should wake the others?" he asked, glancing back toward the café.

"No. Let them rest. Let them dream while they can," I sighed. "None of them will like the news I have, I fear. None of them will desert, either, but that doesn't mean they'll be as accepting as you and I are. Truthfully, I want to spend as much time with you…alone…as I can." I wasn't sure how he would take that last part, but I had to get my feelings out there.

However, despite all the ways in which I predicted he could react, I never could have imagined how he _did _react. He kissed me. Needless to say, I was a little stunned at first, but I sat up, without breaking the kiss, and returned it. The boy always _did _know just the right thing to do to make me feel better. It's strange I still think of him as a boy, I guess, but…

"Enjolr…" The voice cut off with a gasp. I pulled away from Marius just as Courfeyrac came back from his watch. I expected Marius to let go of me and deny anything had happened, but he didn't.

"Yes?" I tried to sound as professional as possible, considering the circumstances. I didn't really expect any trouble to come out of it, because we were all pretty close, but I could never be too sure.

"I was just wondering…when should we wake the others up?" he looked to be denying that he had even seen anything.

"Not until the sun is fully up," I replied. "The enemy won't attack until the sun has almost passed its zenith. To do so before would be a disadvantage for them because the sun would be in front. If they wait for it to rise more, and start to come down behind them, the hope is that the sun will be in our eyes instead and hinder us."

"So, you don't worry about them attacking us sooner and catching us off guard?" He pressed.

I sighed and shook my head. "They know they've won. We're getting no help from anyone else, my friend. If any of you wish to go home and forget about all of this, I won't think less of you for it."

"You know we'll never desert you," Courfeyrac replied. "We're all in this together…to whatever end."

I tried to smile. "I know. And I appreciate it greatly. Get some rest, Courfeyrac. We'll come in and break the bad news to everybody in a while."

He inclined his head a bit, nodded to Marius, and went back around the corner of the building.

"Why did you do it?" I didn't need to elaborate.

"Why not?" He countered, making me shake my head. That lad is so insolent. "Enjolras…if it would have turned out differently…a different time, a different place…maybe we could have been together. You're my closest friend, you know that."

"Thanks, Marius. That means a lot." I leaned back against his chest. We were silent for a while, content just to be in each other's company but absorbed with our own thoughts. As the sun cleared the river, its light making the water sparkle, I closed my eyes and asked, "Marius?"

"Hmm?"

"Remember me?"

"Enjolras, you know I could never forget you. In fact, if you would approve, I would like to name my first son after you…provided he doesn't get your insufferable personality, that is." I smiled.

"I'd be honoured to have a child of yours bearing my name, Marius."

"I know." He didn't have to say more. I lay there, feeling happier than I had in a long time, and thought about the song that the man had sung last night. _God, _I prayed, _I know I haven't been the most religious person, but if you see it fit, grant my last request. Give Marius his life. If I die, let me die, let him live. Bring him home. Please, bring him home. _


End file.
